What if?
by Franglitters
Summary: What if things had gone differently during the adventure? In Goblin town? At Erebor? The battle? A bit of an AU for the company in a series of related one-shots. Thorin/Fili/Kili Durin family feels. No slash. Slightly movie verse.


**Hi! I was re-watching the hobbit when I really took notice of how the goblins were whipping Thorin and I thought up this idea. I think I will continue with some more AUish ideas for the third movie. Please let me know if you want me to continue. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Hobbit'. All rights belong to J.R.R Tolkien **

Thorin was trying to push off the goblins holding him but more came. He saw a goblin going through their weapons and watched as it unsheathed Orcrist.

"I know that sword," said the goblin king shakily "it is the goblin cleaver. The biter. The blade that sliced us down the neck. Slice them."

Thorin felt himself being pushed to the ground and a whip crack across his back.

"Kill them. Kill them all" The goblin king shouted. More whips. There was red hot pain from each place the whip had struck but Thorin continued to try and get up. He had to save the company. He had to save his nephews. He was pinned down as he heard the king shout

"Cut off his head." A goblin was lowering its knife slowly to Thorin's neck, when Thorin heard the squeaky wheels of the messenger return to the Goblin King. Just as the knife was piercing his skin the Goblin King called out.

"WAIT!" The knife was whipped away from Thorin but the goblins' grip on him did not loosen. Thorin caught sight of the small messenger muttering in the goblin king's ear. The King turned to smile nastily at Thorin.

"It would seem, Oakenshield, that the pale orc would like to behead you himself," he grinned "Take him to through the side door the orc will meet you there soon enough" Thorin tried to shake off the goblins but more came and soon he was being run out through many twisty paths. He could hear the rest of the company trying to fight back but more goblins rained upon them and held them down. Just as the goblins carrying him turned a corner he swore he saw a flash of white light shine across the cave, but the goblins ran around the corner and the view was hidden. They soon came to a large rock that the goblins pushed to the side and they came out into a clearing outside. It seemed this was the place Azog was to meet them because the goblins stopped and dropped Thorin to the ground and began hitting him with the whip again.

Then a noise arose. A horn, but it was not an orc or a goblin horn. Nor one made by dwarfs or men. Thorin's teeth grinded together as he recognised the sound. Elves. The goblins stopped their torture for a moment to look around. Then out of the trees came about ten elves, all astride horses. They spoke words in elvish Thorin could not understand and began shooting the goblins who were surrounding Thorin. It took almost no time before all the goblins were slain and the elves came to a stop in a circle surrounding Thorin each with a bow pointing at him. A dark haired elf slid off his horse and approached Thorin.

"What are doing in these parts dwarf?" He asked Thorin. Thorin slowly stood up and did not answer. "I would speak, if I were you." Said the elf glaring at Thorin. "As you can see we out number you and you seem to be weapon less." Thorin looked up at him.

"I and my company were traveling through the misty mountains. We stopped for the night in a cave when we were ambushed by goblins. They brought me out here to wait for one who is to behead me," Thorin snarled at him. The elf tipped his head to one side and squinted at Thorin.

"You seem familiar." He stared at Thorin for a moment when it seemed he was hit with a realisation, "You have the same bearing of one who was a King. Thror. You must be Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain" Thorin's silence confirmed his guess. "And why are you traveling through the mountains at all, exiled prince?" Thorin glared at him.

"My business is my own. I mean no threat to you. I just need to get around the mountain to find the rest of my company." Thorin stated blankly.

"Perhaps, we can assist you with that." The elf offered. He found there was something genuine about the words the exiled King spoke.

"I need no help from you." Thorin growled. "No help would ever come from an…"

"Tell me, Thorin son of Thrain," said the elf loudly interrupting him. Thorin growled. "Do you have kin as a part of your company?" Thorin stopped dead. The elf saw something flash in his eyes, a sort of vulnerability. "I will take that as a yes. Because if you do you will need to know your way around the mountain and you will need speed to get there to save your kin before it's too late. Goblins show no mercy." The elf knew he had hit something because Thorin spoke in a strangled sort of way, "and do you know your way around the mountain?" The elf nodded. He swung himself back onto his horse and held out his hand to Thorin to grab and be pulled up. Thorin hesitated. He did not trust elves and did not like the idea of having to require their help with both saving his nephews and riding a horse. But his kin came first and he gave a piercing stare to the elf before grabbing his hand and pulling himself onto the horse. The elf said something in elvish to the other riders before they all took off on a narrow path.

It was a short amount of time before the path ended and they came to another clearing where a happy sight met Thorin's eyes. The company was running out of the cave with Gandalf in the lead. _Explains that bright light I saw _he thought. But there was commotion at the back of the company. Fili and Kili were trying to get back in the caves they had Dwalin, Oin, Gloin and Bofur holding them back and trying to drag them away.

"Let go. We have to go back," Fili was shouting angrily trying to break Dwalin's strong hold on him. Kili was just shouting "THORIN." Over and over as Oin and Gloin dragged him along. Thorin quickly slipped off the horse and was about to run over to the company when a hand clapped him on the shoulder. He spun around to face the elf.

"They are your kin?" he asked. Thorin nodded. "You have no sons." He stated "are they nephews?" Thorin gave a small nod. The elf released him. Just as Thorin was about to leave he turned to the elf.

"Thank you," he said and he then ran off to re-join the company.

The dwarfs were sat in the clearing. Everyone exhausted from the escape. Fili and Kili sat together with Dwalin and Balin watching over them as they whimpered, occasionally mumbling their Uncle's name. No one heard Thorin silently step out from the trees but they all jumped when he spoke

"What is it you have done to make the boys upset this time Dwalin?" He spoke with a small smirk remembering the days when his nephews were dwarflings and terrified of Dwalin. Fili and Kili looked up and saw their uncle looking battered and tired but alive and smiling.

"Uncle!" They both cried out and scrambled over to him throwing their arms around him. He grunted at the sudden impact but then returned the embrace, thrilled to see them alive and in one piece. He pulled back and grabbed each of their chins looking at them sternly.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"Fine Uncle," said Fili.

"It's you we need to worry about, not us." said Kili, both in disbelief that their Uncle still asked after their safety even when they knew he was the one who was injured. The two boys pulled Thorin back into another hug. Thorin chuckled fondly and glanced over his shoulder to see the elves still visible though a gap in the trees. The elf whose horse he had shared looked puzzled by the way Thorin acted with his nephews but catching Thorin's eye nodded and then turned away.

Soon the company was sitting around a fire eating some of the small amounts of food they had left, Thorin had been wrapped in a blanket despite his protests and had a nephew on each side while he explained what had happened once he had been separated from the others. At the mention of elves many members of the company grumbled a bit and Gandalf scoffed while muttering 'the stubbornness of Dwarfs, I will never understand'. Once his tale was finished the others began explaining what happened after he had been taken away. He listened as they spoke of Gandalf coming to the rescue and then running through the paths of Goblin Town and the killing of the goblin king which pleased him. Once all the tales had been told, Thorin went to stand up.

"We need to keep moving," but as he stood his body failed him and he almost fell over but Fili and Kili grabbed him and sat him back down.

"You are too injured to move Thorin Oakenshield. And before you say you're fine, we all know you aren't. Goblins and orcs won't come out until it's dark again and it's only morning so we have time to rest. Now please let Oin look at your wounds." Gandalf said sharply. Thorin huffed and turned to Oin who was getting out his medical bag.

"Alright Lad, where are you injured," Oin asked. Before Thorin could tell him he was not injured Kili spoke up.

"It's his back. It was getting whipped in the cave."

"Alright then. I need to look at your back Thorin," Oin said. Fili and Kili quickly came to help Thorin out of his cloak, furs, jacket and tunic. When Thorin's back was bare gasps were heard throughout the company. Thorin's back was covered with deep red lines in a criss-cross pattern. Bruising was already making itself visible and there were a few trickles of blood from the top of his back, where the whip had hit skin.

"Oh Uncle," Kili choked out. Tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He had never seen Thorin so hurt before. Fili didn't say anything. He just stood stare staring at his Uncle's back anger boiling up inside him. He wanted to murder every single goblin that had done this to his Uncle. Every goblin that had touched the whip that caused the scars. He was brought out of his thoughts by Oin speaking.

"There's not much I can do. They aren't cuts so infection isn't possible, I can wrap them but only time and rest can heal this." Oin said. "So by that I mean, you won't be having the night watch for a little while Thorin" he said sternly. Thorin groaned.

"I'll be fine…" Thorin started but Oin cut him off

"You'll be fine when I say you're fine." Oin then started packing away his equipment and Fili and Kili helped Thorin sit up to redress him. After his furs were back on his shoulders his nephews helped lie him down. Fili sat cross legged with his uncle's head in his lap and he began redoing Thorin's braids while Kili sat on Thorin's side and prepared a sleeping draught in some tea for him.

"Rest Uncle," said Kili, handing Thorin the tea "we can start moving when you're recovered" Thorin grumbled but accepted the tea and drank it, feeling the draught take effect immediately. Just as he was nodding off he heard his nephews speak

"Will he be alright?" Kili whispered to Fili worriedly.

"I think so. I mean this is Uncle we're talking about. It will take more than a few goblins to bring him down." Fili spoke with a small smile but his voice shook and gave away his fear. He fastened the last braid with Thorin's silver clasp and gripped one of Kili's hands. Kili then held one of his Uncle's hands and Thorin finally allowed himself to fall into a slumber knowing that both his nephews were nearby.


End file.
